Article-support



W. J. HICKMAN.

ARTICLE SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.20. 1919...

Patented Dec. 7, 1920'.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. HIGKMAN, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

ARTICLE-SUPPORT.

To allwiwm it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. H1'CK MAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sang'amon and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Article-Supports, of which the following is a specification. This inventionrelates to improveinents in supports especially adapted for supportingsuch articles as napkins, towels, window draperies and price tags.

An important object of this invention is to provide a support of thecharacter described provided with novel means for en spring arms forsecuring the article in'posipart of this application and in which liketion.

A'further object of the invention is to provide a device of the classdescribed which isformed from a single piece of metal and which is ofhighly simplified construction and cheap to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages willbe apparent during the'course of the'followin description. 7 K v V v In the accompanying drawing forming anumerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same: i V

"Figure 1 isaperspective of the improved support in use Fig. 2 is aperspective of the same de-' tached; c l

Fig. 3 is a perspective of a sllghtly mod fied form of the invention; Vv

Fig. 4 isa perspective of a further IIIOClI fication of the invention; 77 Fig. 5 is a perspective-of a stillfurther modified form of theinvention;

, In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shownseveral preferred embodiments of the invention, the numeral 5 generallydesignatesone form ofthe device whichas illustrated in Fig. 2 is formedfrom a single length of fiat metal having a high degree of resiliencyand bent interme- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. '7, 1920.

Application filedNovember 20,1919. SeriaI No. 339,493.

diate its ends to form an atta'ching member 6 and a spring arm 7.The'attachlng member 6 is in the form of a hook havin its free endportion 8 extended downwardly in spaced parallel relation tothebodyportions of the device. In cases where the support 5 is employed forsupporting such articles towels or napkins, the'ho'ok 6" may be wellsuspended from a rail 1 though it is obvious that the hook maybesuspended from any other support. For instance the hook'6 may beattached to the vest for supporting a napkin in front of ones personwhileeat mg. the hook terminates in a spring arm 9 which extendsapproximately in spaced parallel relation to the spring arm 7 forforming a 1n gripping device between 1 which a nap or other article isadapted to be supported. The lower portions of the arms 7 and 9 areintegral and are exte idetl'outwardlyas indicated at '10 for forming anenlarged article receiving recess 11. When oneedge portion of a napkinis arranged between the arms 7 and 9, the same is bunched, so to Asillustrated in Fig. 2, one end. of

speak, within the cylindrical recess 11 for securelyretaining the.article in position. The upper end portion of the arm 7 is extendedoutwardly as indicated at 12 and is provided at its upperjend'withprongs or teeth 13 which are adapted to engagethe adjacent portion ofthe article which is supported from the device. Theirnajor portion ofthe article to be supported is'arran ed in front of the'device andtherefore is olded over the teeth or prongs l3 and is engaged by. thesame whereby the teeth orprongs l3 effectively cooperate with the springarms? and 9 in retaining thearticle inposition. Y In other words, thearms? and 9 frice tiona'lly grip the amide and when the same is foldedover the outer arm 7 thetecth 1 3 engage the article and effectivelyprevent:

the same from slipping from between the arms 7 and 9. vThough the teeth13 grip the napkin or other'article, the same are not long or stoutenough to injure the napkin.

When it is desired .to detach thenapkin, V

the same may be lifted upwardly. and rearwardly' andisfthereby removedfrom between the arms 7 and 9 'andal'so from contact with the teeth 13';V e i 3 I I In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3 thesupport is desi ated by the numeral" l i'and is formed rom a singlelength of wire bent to form a double thick- 7 ness. The two strand wirethus formed is bent at one end portion to form an attaching memberwhichin this case is adapted for engaging a suitable support such as arail, or a curtain pole. The forward portion of the hook is extendeddownwardly to form an arm 16 and then upwardly to. form a second arm 17The upper end portion of the arm 16 has its strands twisted as'indi- IThestrands of wire at the meeting portions of the arms .16 and 17 arearranged in spaced parallel relation to form a comparatively fiatsupport for the bottom of such articles as price tags.

The inner spring arm 16 has its strands twisted as indicated at 20 andthe outer arm 17 has its strands provided with a plurality oftwists 21which are adapted to cooperate for forming shoulders or locking'devicesfor securely retainin tween the arms.- 11 providing the twists 20 and 21the arms 16 and 17 are extended inwardly at said twists and thereforeprovide etficient gripping elements. The u per portions of thestrands-of the arms 1 are extended laterally of the device to provide 2horizontal shoulders 22 over whichthe napkin or other article is adaptedto be folded. The free end portions of the shoulders or arms 21 areextended outwardly and upwardly at a slight angle. to provide prongsor'teeth23 which function in a manner similar to the teeth 13 in theform of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. lVhen a towel ornapkin has one edge portion. extended through the space between the arms16 and 17, the same is folded over the shoulders 22 and theprongs 23.grip the cloth and retain the same securely. in position in cooperation.with the arms 16 and 17.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4:, the deviceisgenerally designated by the numeral 24 and is formed from a two strandwire bent at one end portion. to form a book 25. One end portion of thehook has its strands diverging outwardly to provlde inner spring arms 26which-cooperate with inwardly extending bearing portions 27and upwardlyand outwardly diverging spring arms 28 for supportingvariousarticles..The spring arms- 28 press inwardly toward the arms 26 and thereforeserve to effectively grip an article for supporting the the articlegripped being prongs.

same in a relatively stationary position. The upper end oortions of thearms 28 are extended latera 1y to provide horizontal shoulders 29over'which is adapted to be,

in the form of loops 31 which have theirend'.

portions extended outwardly to provide. the

horizontal shoulders 32. As in theother forms of the invention, thehorizontal; arms 32 are extended upwardly and outwardly to I form theprongs 33 which are adapted to cooperate with the inner and outer springarms of the device for supporting an article. The

lower portions of the loops 31 are arranged in spaced relation and formbearings for.

supporting articles such as price tags and the like. u

In the use of this invention, the same may be employed for supportingdraperies for windows by extending the upper edge portion. of thedraperies between the spring 7 arms and subsequently extending thedraperies' over the horizontal shoulders whereby the prongs at the endof the same are caused to partly penetrate the drapery for securingthesame in position. The hook of the device may now be suspended from acurtain pole or any other suitable supportand when-dc sired the samemaybe readily detached.

When the device is employed for supporting price tags, the hook of thesameniay be readily suspended from a shoe or other. ar-

ticle which is on display andfthe-tag maybe.

arranged between the inner=andouter springv arms. The bearing portionsat the bottoms of the loops in the variousforms of the invention serveto support the cards in such a position that the same may be" readilyviewed.

Having thus described. the invention, what is claimed as new is: J v Iw 1. A device of the class described consisting of a strand of wiredoubled on itselfand arched to form an attaching hook, and a spring armdepending fromone end of the hook, the branchesofthe wire strand; exftending through the spring arm, a bend in the wire strand at theiowerendof the said spring arm, and a second spring arm rising from said bend,the branchesof the wire F strand extending laterally in opposite direc-.f

tions from the upper end of saidsecond spring arm and constitutingfabric-support ing shoulders terminating in" fabric-engag 1 l 2. Adevice of the class described includ ing an attaching hook, a spring armextending downwardly from one end of said hook, at second spring armextending upwardly 5 from the lower end of the first-named spring armand arranged in spaced parallel relation to the same, and laterallyextending fabric supporting shoulders at the upper end of the secondspring arm, said shoulders being provided with fabric engaging 10prongs. a V V 7 In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM'J. HIOKMAN. 1,. 8.]

